Trump says he had ‘very good conversation’ with Carney, offers no details on call

U.S. President Donald Trump said he had a good phone call with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday. Trump spoke generally about his planned April 2 tariffs, and offered no real details of what was discussed on the first call between the leaders, though he did note: ‘I think things are going to work out very well between Canada and the United States.’

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Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time this morning.Carney’s office says the leaders agreed to begin “comprehensive negotiations” to be led by Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.In the meantime, Carney will get back on the campaign trail, his office says.Carney has a news conference scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, after he meets with provincial and territorial leaders.In a social media post, Trump said the two “agree on many things.”Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is still in B.C., where he pitched life sentences for fentanyl traffickers and gunrunners.Do you have a question about the federal election? Send an email to ask@cbc.ca.Updates

March 28

56 minutes ago

What does the U.S. want?

Alexander Panetta

The White House in Washington, D.C. (Susan Walsh/Associated Press)It looks like we’re headed to a pivot point in Canada-U.S. history: negotiations, after the election, on a new economic and security partnership.

It’s obviously too early to predict which way it will go. But we can make some predictions about U.S. goals, based on recent public statements and on well-documented demands that span multiple administrations.

The easiest call of all? Dairy. Trump brings it up constantly, and will be itching to get more market access for farmers in Wisconsin, a swing state he carried twice.

The U.S. has other trade gripes, notably the digital services tax, which penalizes U.S. tech giants.

On security, a couple of U.S. demands are easily foreseen: more military spending — and faster, especially in the Arctic. Expect ramped-up talk about developing Canada’s critical minerals.

But here’s a potential wild card: ballistic missile defence. Canada has traditionally refused to join the program.

Yet now, as the U.S. looks to refurbish its program to deal with a range of new technological threats, some Americans detect a recent openness from Ottawa.

Will Canadian political parties be keen to talk about dairy access and missile defence, in the midst of an election? Certainly not the Liberals and Conservatives.

These are controversial and potentially vote-losing issues for the bigger parties. While the Bloc Québécois and NDP might push for details, the bigger parties will have every incentive to punt this issue until after the election.

Here’s one final, safe prediction. It involves both economics and security, the two aspects of the eventual talks. The U.S. will likely push for new measures to keep Chinese products out of supply chains. This is their big, global, strategic objective.

1 hour ago

Hope for an end to the chaos

Catharine Tunney

Poilievre says Trump wants Carney’s Liberals to win

Responding to a question following the call between Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said it was ‘clear’ Trump wants to keep the Liberals in power because ‘they have been very good for his agenda.’

Poilievre was asked about Trump’s language shift after the call with Carney.

Trump did not refer to Carney as “governor,” as he repeatedly did for former prime minister Trudeau.

Poilievre said he hopes there is a change in tone coming out of the White House.

“We want to put an end to this crazy, tariff chaos,” he said.

He said the Liberals have made Canada too dependent on the U.S., and reiterated his promise to unleash the country’s natural resources.

Carney is promising “economic autonomy” as part of his response to the new Canada-U.S. relationship.

1 hour ago

Mayors can only do so much

Lisa Xing

The mayors’ summit in Washington, D.C., has wrapped. It’s pretty remarkable to see so many mayors of so many cities in North America together in one room.

But it was not lost upon the reporters that there is only so much that municipal leaders can do in the face of this trade war. They emphasized to me the importance of sending a strong message and working together to lobby federal officials, but that their work shouldn’t have to be focusing on how to help people who have lost their jobs or save their local economy, like it is right now.

Over to you, feds.

1 hour ago

A ‘very, very good’ talk with Mark

Catharine Tunney

Trump says he had ‘very good conversation’ with Carney, offers no details on call

U.S. President Donald Trump stopped in front of a microphone at the White House, where he praised his “very, very good” phone call with the Canadian prime minister.

Trump referred to Mark Carney by his first name while chatting with reporters.

“I think things will work out very well between Canada and the United States,” he said.

“We have liberation day, as you know, on April 2 and, I’m not referring to Canada, but many countries have taken advantage of us.”

Trump has previously said Canada was taking advantage of the U.S., claiming his country subsidizes Canada with hundreds of billions of dollars every year. That’s been disputed.

It’s another twist in the relationship, although with the evergreen caveat that what Trump says and what he does can be very different.

2 hours ago

Poilievre says he’s glad Carney, Trump spoke

Catharine Tunney

Poilievre speaks in Nanaimo, B.C. (J.P. Tasker/CBC)Echoing some of the Team Canada spirit Singh shared earlier, Poilievre said he’s glad Carney and Trump spoke this morning.

“Like all Canadians, I hope they had a successful talk,” he said, adding he’s looking forward to “hearing about the results.”

Poilievre then switched to attacking the Liberals as part of his tough-on-crime announcement.

2 hours ago

Poilievre more muted today

John Paul Tasker

It could be the pace of cross-country travel, or the late-night rallies, or something else, but Poilievre is more muted today.

Poilievre has been the subject of some criticism this week from the likes of senior Conservative strategist Kory Teneycke, who says Poilievre is too negative and too “Trump-y” with his nicknames and sloganeering.

Teneycke also says Poilievre needs to address the main issue of this election more — the U.S. threat. The Conservative leader has mentioned it this morning but he quickly pivoted to his main message today — crime and the drug crisis.

2 hours ago

Carney will address media this afternoon

Catharine Tunney

After a morning wearing his prime minister’s cap, Mark Carney will be switching back to campaign mode this afternoon.

The Liberal leader will be in Montreal, where he’ll make an announcement and take reporters’ questions around 3:30 p.m. ET.

However, he’s largely expected to take questions about that first call with Trump and Canada’s relationship with the U.S.

2 hours ago

Poilievre speaking soon on Vancouver Island

John Paul Tasker

Poilievre is holding his campaign event at a sawmill in Nanaimo, B.C. (J.P. Tasker/CBC)Good morning from beautiful Nanaimo, B.C., where Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is making a tough-on-crime announcement, promising life sentences for more crimes. The opioid and toxic drug crisis is a particular concern here on Vancouver Island and Poilievre will hit on that today in his remarks.

Poilievre is here at a sawmill for the announcement. Unlike the other campaign stops at industrial sites this week, there aren’t any workers on hand today to see Poilievre, at least not yet.

B.C.’s lumber sector is particularly trade sensitive and Trump’s tariff threats are a concern for many in this province.

We spoke to a number of voters here in Nanaimo — a seat that traditionally swings from NDP to Conservative — who say they are thinking of going for the Liberals this time around in the face of Trump worries.

2 hours ago

Carney says call ‘very constructive’

Catharine Tunney

Mark Carney, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump. (Frank Gunn, The Canadian Press/Associated Press)We saw Trump’s take on his call with Carney. Now we have the Canadian side via an official readout.

The prime minister called it “a very constructive conversation about the relationship between our two countries,” echoing Trump’s review.

Carney told the president he will move ahead with retaliatory tariffs if the U.S. imposes auto tariffs next week, says the readout.

It goes on to say that the two leaders agreed to begin “comprehensive negotiations about a new economic and security relationship immediately following the election.”

“The prime minister told the president that he would be working hard for the next month to earn the right to represent Canada in those discussions,” the readout said.

Yesterday Carney said the “old relationship” with the U.S. is over — remarks that have garnered international coverage.

The readout also said International Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick will “intensify talks to address immediate concerns.”

2 hours ago

North American mayors push for end to trade war

Lisa Xing

Mayors from across North American are meeting in Washington, D.C. (Lisa Xing/CBC)Hi, I’m a reporter covering the mayors’ summit in Washington, D.C.

Mayors from more than a couple dozen cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico are here.

Despite the fact negotiations can really only officially happen at the federal level, the mayors are trying to drive home the point they’re at the forefront of this tariff war because it’s the people in their communities who will feel it first. They see it first-hand.

From what I’ve been hearing from my conversations, every community will be affected in different ways.

Despite the worry, they’re sharing laughs, undoubtedly brought closer by this unprecedented moment and the fear of the repercussions of the tariffs.